Friday, November 9, 2012

Beautiful New Boutique Hotels In Paris, London & NY

I like a hotel with personality. I like it when there's a little whimsy and wit in the design. Customer service is important too, and a deep bathtub's also quite nice. But there's nothing like an engaging interior to make a hotel stay really memorable.

Here are some beautiful new boutique hotels that I've noticed lately. Some have opened; others are opening soon. And others have been around for a short while but the world just hasn't noticed them yet. There's a hotel for hat lovers, a hotel for gardenistas, even a hotel for Marie Antoinette lovers in an unused wing of the great palace of Versailles.

I hope they offer some idea for the next time you travel. And with that, The Library is taking a mini hiatus for a week or two. Thank you for all the lovely comments, which have really touched me. I very much hope you'll pop by again when The Library returns.

A HOTEL FOR DESIGN LOVERS

THE ROGER HOTEL, NEW YORK

Smart, striped, marquee-style awnings, cobalt-blue chesterfield sofas, black and white vintage photographs and luxurious terraces overlooking midtown Manhattan... The Roger is one gorgeous New York hideaway. Recently refurnished, this cheeky-but-still-sleek little place is perfectly located in the Flatiron District, so you're close to all the design stores, but that's not the best part. The real highlights here are the rooms, especially the terrace suites, which have their own private outdoor areas with great views over the city streets. The decor is based on a rich palette of deep navy and black and white, and there are all sorts of 'extras' to make you go "awww", from welcoming armchairs to a cute bow-tie motif. I've already bookmarked it for my next visit to Manhattan.

www.therogernewyork.com

A HOTEL FOR FASHION LOVERS

THE REFINERY, NEW YORK

I loved the idea for The Refinery right from the start. A former millinery (hat-making) factory located in the stylish heart of the Fashion District, this chic new hotel has retained its industrial-style architecture and ornate, neo-Gothic facade but has undergone a stunning makeover in other places to create a spectacular new Manhattan hangout. The design – inspired by both a millinery factory at the turn of the century and a 1920s-style tea parlor – combines decadence, glamour and a great deal of flair. The Refinery's owners say it's "debonair" but I suspect it's going to be more feminine than that. There are sofa with inside-out over-lock seams that give a wink to the Fashion District, coffee tables modelled after old factory cart, enormous 12-foot ceilings and large windows that open to offer lots of natural daylight, dark brushed oak hardwood floors reminiscent of old factory floors, and - best of all – marble and mosaic floor bathrooms with polished brass and antique bronze details. They've even got a Pinterest site with wonderful vintage photos of glamorous women in 1920's fashions. Just lovely.www.refineryhotelnewyork.com

A HOTEL FOR GARDEN LOVERS

THE DORSET SQUARE HOTEL, LONDON

This is my favourite new London hotel. I had the pleasure of staying here two weeks ago, and the service was some of the best I've ever had. I wasn't a paying a lot either (I only had a small room), so they didn't need to be nice to me. But they were beyond lovely. They polished my boots (for free), found information for me (free), left a box of delectable chocolates on the bed (free), organised dry cleaning (staggeringly cheap), and even emailed me sweet notes when I returned home. Part of Kit Kemp's Firmdale Group, the Dorset Square isn't as expensive as its hotel sisters and is located in a great posi too – right next to Marylebone High Street's sophisticated shopping strip (Marlene Birger, etc) and a wander from Selfridges and the West End. My favourite thing? The botanical wallpaper. Have you ever seen anything as witty? Oh – and there's a cute restaurant called The Potting Shed too. Loved it all. Can't wait to return.

www.firmdalehotels.com/london/dorset-square-hotel

A HOTEL FOR LOVERS OF CLASSIC PARIS

LA MAISON FAVART, PARIS

Some of you may have already seen my pix of the Maison Favart. It's Paris' cutest new hotel – and has already established something of a reputation because of it. Indeed, it's often booked out, so if you fancy it, secure a room early. The interior is Lacroix-meets-Marie Antoinette. (My interpretation, not the hotel's, although they've also called it "theatrical".) There are whimsical pictures on the walls, a pastel pink, biscuit and grey palette, a strikingly graphic diamond carpet and all manner of curious embellishments. It's fascinating. The prices, unfortunately, are rather grand, and the location doesn't merit the rates, but it's still a stylish little find.

www.lamaisonfavart.com

A HOTEL FOR THOSE WHO LOVE VERSAILLES

THE HOTEL DU GRAND CONTROLE, PARIS

It's not open yet, but The Hotel du Grand Controle is set to be one of the most talked-about hotels in France, if not the world when it does finally put out the 'Welcome' sign. The hotel is set in part of the palace of Versailles, and overlooks the magnificent Orangerie, one of the great gardens of the world. The building, which was derelict for many years, is being restored by Belgian company Ivy International SA and will open as a luxury hotel sometime (hopefully) in 2013. (It had been scheduled to open late 2011, but restoration works are taking longer than expected.) Okay, so it's not a boutique hotel, and I suspect the prices will be in the Versailles league, but it will still be fabulous.

Yes, I've been meaning to do the ones I've missed, so I shall go back this week and do so. Thank you for your lovely comments. I've been so grateful for all the lovely notes. If I didn't answer them all, I'm very sorry; it was difficult when I was travelling. But I will revisit them all this week. xx

I enjoyed this post. I came via a comment from one of my blog followers, Norma Enos, as she likes your photography and interest in books, among other things. This looks like a truly interesting blog, and I'll be back.

Hello Janelle, Thank you for another fabulous post the pictures of the Hotels are beautiful.We are going to Paris in April and we are looking for a nice hotel for a few days. The Favart looks beautiful will store that away.Will miss you for a couple of weeks.Take care x Trish

My room at the Wrest Point Casino tower for that conference last week made me cry tears of blood. Think Pumpkin Orange painted walls & ceiling, olive green vinyl hedadboard on the bed, faded red bedspread & purple swirly carpet. A sign in the lift said they were celebrating their 39th year. And I reckon my room was exactly as it was on that 1973 Opening Day!! I will be making a claim for Post Traumatic Room Stress Disorder.Millie xx

Dear MillieSo understand! I once stayed at a conference hotel in Paris which was just dreadful too. The bathrooms were clearly from late 60s/70s with walls in smeary sickly avocado/pea soup vinyl, a shower that always overflowed (no matter what you did to avoid) and pooled all over the floor, heading for the room. The window was fixed so you could open it only a fraction to let the tiniest amount of air in. Every night at around 2.00am they must have had some sort of recycling with their climate control system because the room used to fill up with clouds of stale cigarette smoke for an hour. I used to get up and stand with my nose glued to the little window opening to be able to breathe. It wasn't just my room, all the other delegates from Oz found the same thing. Oh, also, the rooms had a view either over a cemetary or the train lines of a big railway station. Probably one of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in. And it was Paris! A sign said "Do not use lift in case of fire." Best wishes, Pamela

Pretty good post.I discovered your site by way of Google while looking for a similar subject, your web site came up, it appears good. I’ve added to favorites added to my bookmarks.Book Hotels in London

“I like a hotel with personality.” – That is one thing we have in common! And I think these hotels exude a fair amount of personality and character. But I think what I like most in hotels like these is they continue to innovate without losing their touch of class. The rooms are sophisticated, which will surely captivate even those who have selective taste.

FORTHCOMING BOOKS

LONDON SECRETS, an illustrated guidebook to London published by Images Publishing (US / Australia), late 2016/early 2017. (A companion to the bestselling PARIS SECRETS.) Now available to pre-order on Amazon.

BEYOND THE ROCK: THE STORY OF JOAN LINDSAY AND THE MYSTERY OF PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, a biography of the bestselling novel and the reclusive author who wrote it, published by Echo / Five Mile Press (part of Swedish / UK group Bonnier) in early 2017.

Plus a garden book for a major publisher, and other ongoing projects.

WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY

Janelle McCulloch is a journalist, author and photographer of more than 20 books on architecture, interior design, travel and gardens, including several bestselling design titles. OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.janellemcculloch-officialwebsite.com

TORY BURCH IN COLOR

NEW YORK IN STYLE (2014)

PROVENCE IN THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

PROVENCE BOOK ON THE COVER OF THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER (NATIONAL BROADSHEET)

NEW YORK IN QANTAS MAGAZINE OCT 2014

NEW YORK IN STYLE IN QANTAS MAGAZINE OCT 2014 (Click on image for link and mini NY shopping guide)

PARIS BOOK & MIRANDA KERR IN THE COVETEUR

DESIGN IN BLACK & WHITE IN US VOGUE

DESIGN IN BLACK & WHITE IN US VOGUE

GARDENESQUE TOURS

www.gardenesquetours.com

A FEW NICE REVIEWS…

Take a stroll through the real Paris with Janelle McCulloch's beautifully photographed and gorgeously packaged book. Visually rich and totally inspiring, Paris is a treasure for lovers of art, style, design and food. Anthropologie New York

More secret addresses from the well-travelled Janelle McCulloch, Paris Secrets is an ode to the City of Light. C’est si bon! Australian Vogue

The City of Love can be grimy, chaotic and a rip-off but Janelle McCulloch gives Paris buff and shine. Lisa Carapiet, The Australian Financial Review

One of the loveliest books to arrive on my desk this year… Holly Kerry Forsyth (on Country Estates of Australia) in The Weekend Australian newspaper.

For Francophiles, Janelle McCulloch's words and photographs in Provence and the Cote D'Azur deliver a decent French fix. Anyone unsure exactly what appeals to so many about the south of France is most likely to be convinced of the region's charm, beauty and style after perusing McCulloch's photo-filled tome. Adelaide Advertiser newspaer.

The prettiest guesthouses and hotels in Provence… The Weekend Australian newspaper (front cover).

In her recent book, Design in Black and White, Janelle McCulloch writes that black and white is being rediscovered. One of the reasons for this revival is that black and white is impervious to fashion.” Simon Caterson, The Weekend Australian newspaper.

Janelle McCulloch's writes with the heart of a romantic. How could anyone not enjoy seeing Paris through her eyes? Peggy Kopman-Owens, Amazon.

I loved this book. It's definitely the most interesting guidebook for Paris I've ever read. She mentioned a lot of really interesting shops and museums. The pictures are stunning and her writing isn't half bad. (I really liked how she wrote about the character of each arrondissement.) Good job Janelle McCulloch! Amanda M. Amazon

If you haven't yet visited Paris, this is the book that will make you want to get there before you die. As you delve into the well thoughtout pages you will practically feel the Parisian atmosphere and picture the offbeat, out-of-the-way spots and the famous landmarks! In a word, this book is: Captivating! Angus & Robertson website.

McCulloch captures the delight of these gardens {in a book that] provides the reader with a wealth of ideas. Chicago Botanic Garden, on The Modern Kitchen Garden

Her latest book is a visual feast of more than 500 glorious photographs of both classical and modern designs. ABC Radio on The Modern Kitchen Garden